VISITOR INDUSTRY PLANNING

CSL is the industry leader in providing focused and independent research to the visitor, hospitality and convention industries. The professional resources at CSL include over 120 years of combined industry experience and a large staff of highly trained visitor industry consultants.

A focus of our firm is on conducting planning research and analysis for projects that impact the ability of a community to attract visitors. This includes assessment of hotel, convention facility, visitor industry infrastructure and related projects/issues. We are continually researching emerging trends and conditions that impact destinations, hospitality and event facilities, municipalities, destination marketing organizations, public facility authorities and other such industry participants.

Over the past 20 years, members of our firm have built a reputation assisting clients in understanding market issues, visitor industry strategic planning, visitor industry project feasibility, public/private partnership opportunities, funding methods, operational issues, destination planning and other such characteristics. Our clients have included cities, counties, states, private sector entities, DMOs/CVBs, economic development organizations, and other such entities.

The following provides a brief summary of services that CSL provides with regard to visitor industry planning.

• Strategic Planning - To use a variety of tools such as visioning, tailored market research, analysis, branding exercises, community outreach and consensus-building to develop strategic planning initiatives and master plans for convention and visitor industry entities and destinations.
• Destination Studies - To analyze destination strengths and weaknesses, including comparative analysis of visitor industry amenities/infrastructure and market segmentation to develop strategic initiatives to capitalize on opportunities to strengthen destination brand, visitor appeal and economic impact.
• Hotels & Hospitality Project Planning - To analyze the market and financial feasibility of convention hotels and other hospitality projects, and to assist with evaluation of public/private partnerships and terms of associated development, management and room block agreements.
• DMO Evaluation & Best Practices Evaluation - To assist in the evaluation of destination marketing organization (i.e., convention & visitor bureau) operations, staffing, resource allocation and other performance issues.